The invention is directed to a device having a camera unit comprising a lens for capturing images of the surrounding area of a motor vehicle, a housing which comprises at least one opening for the camera unit and in which the camera unit is accommodated, a cover element for closing the opening in the housing, a drive unit which is designed for moving the camera unit between a rest position and an operating position and for moving the cover element between a closed position and an open position, the camera unit being arranged in the rest position, within the housing and behind the cover element, so as to be inaccessible from the outside, when the cover element is in the closed position, and the camera unit being arranged in the operating position when the cover element is in the open position, a pivot element being movably mounted about a first rotational axis and comprising a first arm, which is connected for movement to the cover element, and a second arm, and a lever element, which is movably mounted about a second rotational axis, being operatively connected to the cover element in order to assist the movement of the cover element.
Devices comprising a camera unit, which are used for capturing images of the surrounding area of a motor vehicle, are known from the prior art. Devices of this kind comprise a camera unit which is received in a housing of the camera unit so as to be movable between a rest position and an operating position. For example, camera units of this kind may be used in the field of assisted parking of motor vehicles. If the reverse gear of the motor vehicle is selected for example, the camera unit moves from the rest position into the operating position, the camera unit being extended out of the housing at least in part. As a result, images of the area behind the motor vehicle are captured by the camera unit and shown to the driver of the motor vehicle on a display. If the reverse travel has ended and the driver of the motor vehicle deselects the reverse gear, the camera unit is moved from the operating position back into the rest position again.
In order to protect the camera unit from contamination at least in the rest position, a cover element is provided, by means of which the opening through which the camera unit extends out the housing can be closed in the rest position. Consequently, during the transition from the rest position into the operating position of the camera unit, the cover element must at the same time be moved between a closed position and an open position.
A device of the type described at the outset is known for example from DE 10 2010 060 573 A1. In the case of this known device, a camera unit is accommodated in a housing so as to be movable by means of a carriage element to which the camera unit is fastened. In this case, a drive unit moves the camera unit by means of a mechanism that comprises a pivot element and a lever element. The pivot element is L-shaped and is rotatable about a central rotational axis, a first longitudinal end of the pivot element being hingedly connected to the cover element, whereas the second longitudinal end of the pivot element comprises a long hole, on which the camera unit is mounted. The lever element is mounted on a further rotational axis and is hingedly connected to the cover element in order to guide the movement of the cover element.
Furthermore, DE 10 2007 052 402 discloses a device comprising a camera unit, which is used for capturing images of the surrounding area of a motor vehicle. The movement of the camera unit and the movement of the cover element relative to the camera unit comprise a plurality of movement steps, and therefore complex kinematic control of the cover element is necessary. In particular, the device disclosed herein requires significant installation space for moving the camera unit and the cover element.
Against this prior art, the object of the invention is that of providing a solution which provides a device having a camera unit and a cover element in a simple and cost-effective manner, which device requires less installation space and is at the same time characterized by a movement path for the camera unit and cover element which is kept small, as a result of which the time for moving the camera unit into the operating position thereof can be kept short.